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The promotion of the chairman’s son and heir-apparent was taken yesterday as a clear statement that Samsung intends to continue the electronics empire’s lineage, despite a mounting backlash against South Korea’s powerful family-run companies.

Jay Y. Lee, the only son of the chairman Lee Kun Hee, was named as the vice-chairman of Asia’s biggest consumer electronics company in an annual management reshuffle.

The appointment of the younger Mr Lee, Samsung’s president and chief operating officer, as successor-in-waiting comes after his father marked the 25th anniversary of his chairmanship last week.

Investors appeared to welcome the promotion, sending the group’s shares